Management of your time and Stress

It is often said that if the project manager cannot control his own time, then he will control nothing else on the project.

Time Robbers:
 The most challenging problem facing the project manager is his inability to say no.
 Poor communication
 Lack of information
 Too many meetings
 Unclear objectives and project scope
 Work overload
 Company politics
 Too many people involved in minor decision making
 Lack of authorization
 Shifting priorities
 Failure to delegate, or unwise delegation
 Changes without explanation
 Waiting for people
 Executive interference
 Excessive paperwork

The consequence of these robbers of time is a reduction in the working day for you and your team.

Consider the situation in which an employee comes into your office with a problem. The employee may be sincere when he says that he simply wants your advice but often the employee want to take the monkey off of his back and put it onto yours. The employee’s problem is now your problem.

To handle such situations:
 First, screen out the problems with which you do not wish to get involved.
 Second, if the situation does necessitate your involvement, then you must make sure that when the employee leaves your office, he realizes that the problem is still his, not yours.
 Third, if you find that the problem will require your continued attention, remind the employee that all future decisions will be joint decisions and the problem will still be on the employee’s shoulders. Once employees realize that they cannot put their problems on your shoulders, they learn how to make their own decisions.